The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1887-02-02

she asked OF Mr.. johnson. the buSi-
ness manager of the house, not noticing
that Mr. Cyril Cawthorne. the junior
member of the great publishing house
of Cawthorne and Son, and the head of
the literary department., was standing
close beside the business managers
high desk.
Mr.. johnson picked up the package
of manuscript, on the first page of
which was a picture done in water
coiors. crude, like all the rest, but drawn
and colored by the same free hand that
gave to all her pictures life and char
acter.
He glanced from it to the face of the
girl
You're one OF our young women up
stairs. arc you not?" he asked.
"Yes. sir"
1T Is not our custom to charge en-
ployes anything for little jobs like
this;" and turning to young MIR. Caw-
thorne, he handed him NeIrs precious
manuscript I'VE won't charge one of
our hands anything for binding this"
Mr.. Cawthornc took the manuscript.
and, without answering, began turn
Ing The ieaYcs.
The mAn"e = ",..:.t,: away, leaving
Nell still standing in front of the desk.
Mr.. Cawthorne seemed interested in
reading what the girl had written
down. and in examining her crude
pictures, for the minutes passed away,
and he neither looked at her nor spoke.
When the hands on the clock above
the desk indicated five minutes of one,
Nell ventured to break the silence.
If you please, sir" she began, II"
where did you get these stories"
demanded Mir. Cawthorne with sudden
esrnestness, tapping the manuscript
with his long foretinger. and raising his
spectacled eyes to Nelrs face.
They are mine," she answered. Il
wrote them out"
DO you mean to say that you COM
posed them, and that these drawings are
yourss'
''Yes. sir. know they arc not very
good. but my little lame sister thinks
they are grand. and it is to please her
that l put them in that shape, and want
them bound, SO that she can read them
over while am ut work"
'.Ahem! Miss"
'Gwinett."
"Yes; Miss Gwinett want to talk to
you. Walk into my Office. please"
And before Nell could realize what it
all meant, she found herself seated in
the publishers private office. telling
him the story of her life. and how the
fairy-stories came to be written. and all
her hopes and plans and ambitions.
When at length she finished, the pub
Usher spoke with an earnestness that
nearly took Nells breath away.
"These stories," he said. "are capital
at least if can Judge from one that
have just read-and your sister is q
most excellent critic. Our house has
been wanting to publish a book like
this for some time. and if you'll allow
me, I'll make you an offer for the manu-.
script-including the sketches"
'.Sir?" said Nellie.
And she began to feel faint and
giddy. and the room swan around her,
'I'll give you one hundred pounds
down, and. if the book proves the sue
cess that venture to say it will, tht
usual royalty after all expenses have
been paid. l make this offer without
reading the manuscript Amuse your
sell. and I'll see if my Judgment is cor
rect by further perusaL"
He turned to the manuscript, anC
Nell, left to herself. could only sit ane
stare straight ahead at the opposite
wall on which danced thousanC
pictures, more real and life-like thar
they had ever been before to her.
She did not 60 back to work tha
afternoon. nor the next day, nor eve
again
Young Mr.. Cawthorne came to Sc
her in the little shabby room, whicl
never before had looked so shabby t
her, and talked to her of future s.
glit,ering aud grand that several time
she pinched herself, hardly daring t
believe that it was not q dream; bu
when he handed her the crisp bAnh
notes for the hundred pounds, and wen
away. promising to call again. sh
knew it must be real. and. with Essie'
arms around her neck, cried out he
Joy:
/ She has TOLD, in her own inimitabl
way, this story of her first triumph muc
: better than I have done it, and tt
, thousands of little children all ov,
l Chr6tendom who have read with plea
Q ure the story of ''Essie in Fxiryland,
j do not dream that sister Nell," now
: staid matron, and the mother OF chi
. dren. known far and wide as the gifte
> and accomplished Heaen Gwinett Ca,
!, thorne-for she married the fairy prin,
= just rs they do in the story-books-w,
( once . poor working-girl. who four
d time outside OF work-hours to write tt
y most delightful stories of elf-land tn
have ever been printed.
+ A Boston newspaper man says th